


Shift

by Kolivans (arka_r)



Series: Ad Meliora [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Body Dysmorphia, Body Horror, Body Modification, F/M, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Self-Hatred, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 10:40:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11034498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arka_r/pseuds/Kolivans
Summary: Her reflection started to shift. The hair became shorter and her build more firm. She reeled when the image switched into someone– an enemy, a nightmare.Her father.





	Shift

**Author's Note:**

> happy 10 years strikethrough anniversary!
> 
> i have so many ideas about this AU, but i really can't do a longfic right now. so maybe i'm gonna release it part by part.

 

\--

 

When she stepped out of the healing pod, she instantly went to the tall mirror in her chambers, only to find a familiar stranger stared back at her. This stranger had hair, white like Lorian Galra, like Haggar’s. The skin was brown and the eyes were sparkling blue. It took Allura a long moment to realize that this stranger was her, that her glamour had been shed when she was in the healing pod.

 

She had been putting on her Galran appearance for far too long. A Jlatsar, slight yet strong. She loved her Galran appearance, with her beautiful crown-like crest, like Zarkon’s but different. She had forgotten how she looked underneath the glamour.

 

She looked _hideous_.

 

But then, her reflection started to shift. The hair became shorter and her build more firm. She reeled when the image switched into someone– an enemy, a _nightmare_.

 

And suddenly, she was back in a planet she knew was long destroyed. The ground was burning and she was alone– no, not _alone_. The man was standing before her, face contorting in anger. He was speaking in a language dead for one thousand years.

 

Her _father_.

 

The monster let out an angry snarl, arm raised to strike, to tear her down, to drag her away from Zarkon and lock her somewhere that no one would ever find.

 

Allura would _not_  let that happen _again_.

 

She was stronger now, the power of the Universe right at her fingertips. Her quintessence roiled like a pulsar wind before she released it in a single bolt. The monster’s image dissipated and Allura was back in her room, panting.

 

“Allura…?”

 

The faintest voice snapped Allura out of the burning rage that had been clouding her mind. She made an attempt to turn, but her ears picked up loud clicking noises as she moved.

 

It took her a moment to realize that she had destroyed the tall mirror with charged quintessence. Another moment to realize it was her own claws that made the clicking noises on the dark tiles. 

 

 _Huh_.

 

Her hands… It didn’t look like her hands. The limbs were too thin, with long, curved claws on the tip of her fingers. The fingers looked like centuries old bones, frail and delicate, but the claws gleamed like finely sharpened blades.

 

The skin, _her_  skin, looked like crumpled fabric, black as the void. The purple glow of quintessence was visible in her veins under her skin. 

 

“My dear, please… you’re scaring me… ” the voice called again.

 

Right. 

 

The voice.

 

It belonged to Zarkon –but Allura had never heard him speak so weakly. Her dearest always spoke softly to her, strong and commanding to his subjects… but never did he speak weakly.

 

And his face… _Dear stars_. His face was pale, as if it was not her before his eyes. As if he just saw a _monster_.

 

“Zarkon…” her voice called back. She loomed above him now, her hair spilling around her like the void itself. Flinching, she withdrew into herself, long limbs folding awkwardly. She couldn't shift back, not into that appearance that reminded her so much of the monster of her past. She needed to get used to this form soon. She needed to shift into something more _pleasing_ to Zarkon.

 

“No…” Zarkon whispered as he approached her. His hands, always so gentle, held into hers. Somehow, he managed to intertwine their fingers together, despite her long claws.

 

“No, my dear. Forgive me. I was… _surprised_ ”, Zarkon said, head bowing down to press chaste kisses to each one of her knuckles before his eyes meeting hers. “This new form of yours surprised me.”

 

Allura brightened. There was a subtle flinch from Zarkon that she ignored.

 

“How do you think about this form?” she asked, finally.

 

It took him a moment to answer. But when he did, she could only find honesty on his scarred face.

 

“I think you look _perfect_.”

**Author's Note:**

> more of this verse on [my tumblr](https://hello-my-stars.tumblr.com/tagged/melioraverse)


End file.
